How to use the command base32 (with examples)

The base32 command is a command-line tool that can be used to encode or decode files or standard input to/from Base32 format. Base32 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format. The base32 command is a part of the GNU Core Utilities.

Use case 1: Encode a file

Code:

base32 path/to/file

Motivation: Encoding a file in Base32 format can be useful for various purposes, such as ensuring compatibility with systems that only support ASCII characters or transmitting binary data through email or text-based protocols.

Explanation:

• base32 is the command that encodes the file.
• path/to/file is the path to the file that needs to be encoded in Base32 format.

Example output:

JF3WIZTTMZQXGZLXJAMDAK5LNNYWIA2LOEBTGK2LONSGWY2LOMNXW43TMFZWIZLUNFY=

Use case 2: Decode a file

Code:

base32 --decode path/to/file

Motivation: Decoding a file in Base32 format is necessary when you want to retrieve the original binary data from a Base32-encoded file, such as when receiving a Base32-encoded file.

Explanation:

• base32 is the command that decodes the file.
• --decode is an option that tells the base32 command to decode the file.
• path/to/file is the path to the file that needs to be decoded from Base32 format.

Example output:

This is the original binary content of the file.

Use case 3: Encode from stdin

Code:

somecommand | base32

Motivation: Encoding data from stdin can be useful when you want to encode the output of a command or the content of a file without writing the encoded result to a file.

Explanation:

• somecommand is a placeholder for any command or program that generates output.
• The pipe symbol (|) redirects the output of somecommand to the input of the base32 command.

Example output:

ENCODED: JBGWGYLTMNRWGYLXJAMDAK5LNNYWIA2LON2GQ2LONBQE2LONSWYIDBMUSSA=

Use case 4: Decode from stdin

Code:

somecommand | base32 --decode

Motivation: Decoding data from stdin is useful when you want to decode the output of a command or the content of a file without writing the decoded result to a file.

Explanation:

• somecommand is a placeholder for any command or program that generates output.
• The pipe symbol (|) redirects the output of somecommand to the input of the base32 command.
• --decode is an option that tells the base32 command to decode the input from stdin.

Example output:

This is the original binary content of the output generated by 'somecommand'.

Conclusion:

The base32 command provides a simple and straightforward way to encode or decode data in Base32 format. It can be used to encode files, decode files, encode data from stdin, or decode data from stdin. By understanding and utilizing the various use cases of the base32 command, you can better handle encoding and decoding tasks efficiently.